Modern Mikveh Uses

"Above the roaring of the many waters, above the might of the sea’s breakers: mighty in the heavens is G-d”

Psalms 93:4

Historically women (and men) only went to mikveh for traditional purposes including cleansing and conversion, but the modern mikveh is a place of healing for all genders and ages. Our community mikveh will provide a space to perform rituals and celebrations around fertility, lifecycle events, becoming a grandparent, coming out, gender transition milestones, pre-marriage, conversion, pre-bar/bat mitzvah, graduation, birthdays, anniversaries, healing, and more.

Opportunities for Mikveh Use

  • Fertility: after monthly menstruation cycle (niddah), during the 9th month of pregnancy, preparing to welcome a child, after giving birth, upon weaning, following menopause.

  • Becoming a Grandparent

  • Coming out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual

  • For a Gender Transition Milestone

  • Pre-marriage for men and women

  • Conversion/Affirmation (for children of Jewish patrilineal descent)

  • Pre-bar/bat mitzvah for all Jewish kids

  • Graduation

  • Birthdays and anniversaries

  • Toiveling of dishes, recognizing the holiness of food preparation

Rituals For Men

 

Although mikveh was once viewed as a women’s place and practice, Jewish men, too, have been using the mikveh for centuries. While conversion to Judaism is the only occasion when immersion is required as a mitzvah for men, many have found meaning in mikveh for other purposes.

  • Before Shabbat and holidays

  • In anticipation of becoming a father or grandfather

  • Becoming a Bar Mitzvah / celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah of a child

  • Grooms entering marriage

  • A partner’s pregnancy loss

  • Celebrating the marriage of a child

  • Recovery after an illness

  • To mark a milestone in life: empty nest, new job, divorce, retirement

Other Rituals

 

  • After a diagnosis of cancer, as a way to prepare for treatment or surgery

  • After cancer treatment is completed and the “patient” becomes a “survivor”

  • After divorce

  • After a period of mourning

  • After miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion

  • Upon deciding to end fertility treatments